I Love You, Brother
by Always Misunderstood
Summary: Day after America's 235th birthday, Alfred wakes up from a dream about a certain revolution. He spends the day thinking about it until he finds one last gift.


**So a friend of mine and I decided that we would write some fictions for America's birthday after finding this awesome piece of fanart. This is the story I wrote... Obviously.  
><strong>**Links for the fanart and my friends version are in the note section at the end of the story.  
><strong>**I do not own Hetalia, nor Firework by Ketty Perry, nor the piece of fanart. Only this story. Thank you.**

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><p>Wet. I remember being dripping wet. Why was that? Water was rolling down my cheeks. Tears? Above me thunder clapped though I hadn't seen the lightening. Huh. So it was raining. There was something in my hands, something heavy and loud; a riffle right. That's what it was. Glancing to the weapon in my hands I paused. Where am I? What's going on?<p>

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_"Hey England. I'm no longer a child, nor your little brother. From now on, consider me independent!" My voice rang out, though not in rage. Was I about to cry? Before me stood the older nation and he was clad in his bright red uniform. Oh yeah, I remember now._

_"I wont allow it!" Suddenly he came charging at me. The only thing I could think to do was raise my hands in defense. His bayonet made contact with the side of my riffle and before I realized what had happened, the thing flew out of my hands. I stood weaponless before him, staring down the barrel of his own riffle. I swallowed, and he started to shake._

_"I can't… I can't shoot you… Idiot." Before I knew it, England was on his knees, his riffle thrown down beside him. "Why? Why can't I do it?" he shouted to me. One of his hands was tugging through his hair and from his eyes… tears._

_"England…." My throat hitched and I had to clear it. Why did he have to cry? With a heavy sigh, I answered, "You know why," in a whisper. I couldn't look away from the crumpled man before him. He was my older brother… **was**. He used to be, so big. "I remember when you were big… What happened?"_

_As the rain fell, I finally looked away from him. My brother, my guardian… my suppressor… My England. No longer will I be this close to him. I was going to become my own nation, a strong nation. "I declare my independence."_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_"… firework! Come on let your colors burst. Make'em go ah, ah, ah. As you shoot acro-"_

My hand shot up from under the covers, smacking the alarm clock silent. Propping my self up on my elbows, I looked down to the pillow beneath me. Just a dream? Closing my eyes, I collapsed back down onto the pillow and sighed. "Not again…"

It was the day after my big birthday party. I had stayed up so late last night that it was just to early for me to get up; and it was about nine in the morning already. As I lay in bed, thoughts of the night before filled my mind. The firework show was extra fantastic last night, the best so far I think. Got some pretty awesome gifts from all my friends… or at least I think they were all awesome. Oh well.

I rose out of bed about an hour later. I couldn't get back to sleep… not that I really wanted to after a dream like that. Around my birthday, I always have the same dream. Why? "I know why," I quoted quietly to myself. It's because that war still tears me apart… even today. I just can't forget… the choice I had to make.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_"If they are just going to treat us this way, then we shouldn't even call ourselves Englishmen. We need to stand up and fight!" One man of many, sitting in this freaking hot room, was speaking. This was a meeting of some kind. Continental Congress or something. Men from every territory on the American coast came together in these meetings. Today they were deciding their fate._

_"But we've always been a part of Great Britain! He's always taking care of us, isn't he?" My voice rang out in the hall, defending England as I did every time these meetings took place. He was my older brother, how could I not defend him?_

_"He's not taking care of us now, is he? He's ruining us!" There was a chorus of cheers agreeing with the speaker of the house. Glaring at the man I looked away. Then he continued. "America, it's time to become your own caregiver. You need to take care of yourself, your people, and your states!"_

_His last sentence hit a cord somewhere in me. My states… How could I forget about them? I was growing as a nation. Why? Why did I have to chose between my states and my England?_

_"Do you want to be his little brother for ever? He'll always take advantage of what you have, if you don't break away from him now. Your states… need you more than he does."_

_Again they used my states against me. Looking to the ground, I shifted from one foot, to the other. I was getting a little annoyed with being his younger brother all the time, but I still didn't want to let go. Closing my eyes I sighed and closed my fists tightly. So here I stand, the scales filled behind me. On one side my states and the beginning of my nationhood; then on the other... my England._

_"My states…." I started, but ended up trailing off. My hands had started to shake a little bit. 'They need you,' the words repeated over and over in my mind. I couldn't let it go. As I licked my dry lips I finally opened my eyes and looked up to the speaker once more. "My states," I started again, "will always come first."_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I was sitting at a table now, pouring myself a bowl of Lucky Charms. I stared down to the bowl of sugary cereal and huffed. My states… They really did always come first. I've always done what ever I could to protect them, and keep them together. What would have happened to them if I had chosen England that day, instead of them?

My spoon traveled around the bowl and I clicked my tongue softly. I know what would have happened. I would still be America… England's little brother. No, I would still be New England. Blah. I probably wouldn't be as big as I am today. I probably wouldn't have as many friends either. Spooning up some cereal, I brought the food to my mouth, then swallowing down the marshmallow filled spoonful I looked to the table.

"Things would be bad. That's all." I finally tired to reason with myself. Every time I thought about this choice, this was the reason I jumped to: It was good that I separated myself from England. It was good that I put my states before anything else. I am strong. I am together. I am a nation.

Who am I kidding? The day I decided that I would declare my independence from England, I died a little bit. How was I supposed to go head to head with the nation who practically raised me since I came into existence? I would have been so much easier if I just rolled over and took what was coming to me, but I couldn't do that. I wanted to be treated as an equal to him… not a territory. Not his little brother!

My spoon crashed down into my bowl and I stood up from the table. My appetite was gone. Moving out of the kitchen, I meandered through a very messy house. It was quite the party I had last night. Garbage was still everywhere. Eh. I'd clean it up later… like when I feel like it or something.

Kicking my way through mountains of clutter, I made my way to the couch. Without inspecting it first, I crashed down onto it, face first, only to have something boxy collide with my rib cage. It was small, like a baseball almost except with corners and stuff. I hissed out a breath and pulled what ever it was out from under me and tossed it to the floor. "Geez…"

Burying my face into the couch cushion, I sighed. Speaking of England… Did he even come to the party last night? Every year I invite him to my birthday party, hoping that he would come and just say a hello or something. Is it so much of a surprise when I say that he never comes? Didn't think so.

Rolling to my side I scanned over my messy living room. Maybe I could get Lithuania or someone to come and clean this… maybe even Japan. As my eyes scanned over the piles of junk, I found the boxy thing I had thrown before. There was a pause then I reached out for it.

"Alright… What are you?" The box was simple, and blue, also it was pretty small... About the size of my hand, I'd say. The lid was taped closed or something because it didn't open when I threw it before. Very curious as to what this box had to offer, I started to pull the lid from the box. "Better not be from Pandora…" I mumbled softly. That was something England would say whenever I opened a strange box. I never really understood it. Said he got it from Oil or Greece or something... Not that **that **made any sense either.

When the lid came off I looked inside. There was nothing… except for a folded up piece of paper. Psh. Well that was lame. Throwing the lid aside, I pulled the paper from the box then threw that away too. At this point I decided that I would sit up on the couch. Unfolding the letter, I discovered that there was at least something written on it, and this is what it said:

_Dear America,_

_I'm not sure how to start this thing off… and I don't have a lot of space to do this anyway… _(There was something scribbled out here. I'm not sure what it said.)

_This year… I decided that I would come to your bloody party. But if you're reading this, it means that I just dropped this box off without you realizing it then left quickly. I'm not quite ready to stay for to long. In all honesty, your birthday depresses me. But that's beside the point._

_I just wanted to let you know, _(Scribble scribble scribble)_ I haven't come to your birthdays before because… like I said, they depress me. But don't take it the wrong way!_

(Again there were some scribbles)_ I'm proud of you, America. I'm proud that you took care of yourself when I couldn't. I just wanted to say… actually for quiet awhile I've wanted to say this but… I miss being your older brother._

_I wish… I wish that I could have been a better one to you._

_I love you, America. Happy birthday._

As I finished the note something wet started to roll down my cheeks. There was no signature on this letter… but I knew who it was. As the tears fell, a soft smile came to my lips. I folded up the letter and shoved it into the pocket of my pants. This… was the most awesome gift, I have ever gotten. Rising off the couch I kicked around some cups and junk then looked up to the ceiling.

"I love you too, my brother."

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><p><strong>Notes:<strong>  
>So I've wanted to fix this fiction for awhile now... and I have finally done it! It took me a little while.<br>I was originally posted July 10th of 2011 with some mistakes and other little things. But I think this is better.

Picture this was based off of: (ZeroChan)/430132

My friends fanfiction: (FanFiction)/s/7148736/1/Independence_Day

Please leave me a review if you like it~ If you want to that is. xD  
>Anywho... (Canada?) Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy.<p> 


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